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 Review by
Louella Moreland
Once in a while a book comes along that
becomes a great guide for parents, teachers and others who read with
children. Such it is with Anita Silvey's "100 Best Books for
Children." In this relatively slim volume, the editor of "Children's
Books and Their Creators" gives us an encapsulated look at some of
the best-known and loved children's literature of this century.
These books have indeed weathered the test of time.
The book is divided into sections from
board books (birth to age 2), progressing to picture books,
following with the beginning readers, and continuing on through
older readers (ages 11 to 12). Each section gives the best-loved
books of each age group. However, this is just the beginning of its
usefulness!
Along with each title is given the
author, illustrator, publishing company, copyright date, and number
of pages. This provides an adult the information needed to give to a
librarian or bookstore in order to locate a particular book covered
in the listings. A short plot synopsis accompanies each entry.
Background information about the
stories is also included. For example, why did Margaret Wise Brown's
"Goodnight Moon" not become a best seller until 20 years after its
release at $1 a copy? How did a bicycle accident play a role in the
development of "Madeline" by Ludwig Bemelmans? What controversy did
Munro Leaf's "Ferdinand" stir up in 1938 that caused it to outsell
"Gone With the Wind"? Where did Leo Lionni come up with the idea of
"Swimmy"? Who was the inspiration for the Caldecott Honor book "A
Chair for My Mother"?
These are just a sample of the
interesting background information behind the stories that we have
come to love. We become privy to the reason "Make Way for Ducklings"
was printed in the brown ink we have come to automatically associate
with that story. We learn about the pairing of many
writer-illustrator teams. Most importantly, we are given validation
to our opinions about some of our favorite children's books.
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Ms. Silvey writes in her introduction:
"Nothing in a child's intellectual development offers more pleasure
or more excitement than a good book. Nothing lasts longer in memory
than childhood reading experiences. And nothing ensures the success
of a child more in society than being read to from infancy through
young adulthood. Reading books to and with children is the single
most important thing a parent, grandparent or significant adult can
do."
How did Silvey choose only 100 from the
thousands of wonderful books available? She simply pretended to be
going on a sea voyage with children of various ages, and they would
be stranded on a desert island. Which books would she choose to take
along with her? But for those adults who feel their favorites were
left out of the top 100, a list entitled "Beyond the 100 Best" is
included, following the same age categories as the book. Also
included are classics, informational titles, multicultural books,
myths, legends and folklore, poetry, titles to help locate other
books, a bibliography, reading journal, and index.
Indeed, this
"little" book might become one of your favorite books to pick up at
the library from time to time. As Ms. Silvey puts it best: "The
canon of children's books remains the best gift we could ever give
our children. … If we fail to present these books to children, they
reach adulthood without a basic literary heritage." I invite you to
peruse the pages of "100 Best Books for Children" and then check out
some of the recommended books to read to a child.
[Louella
Moreland, youth services librarian,
Lincoln Public
Library, 725 Pekin St.]
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